1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the reliable and secure transmission of financial information over the Internet in a financial transaction processing system and, more particularly, to a system for electronically integrating data captured in heterogeneous information systems and transmitting that data reliably and securely over the Internet between multiple diverse servers and to a system for electronically transferring data to heterogeneous information systems, wherein the data is translated into the natural communications protocol and data format for the heterogeneous information systems.
2. Background Description
The Internet is a collection of networks that allows users at disparate, heterogeneous computer systems to communicate with each other across organizational and geographical boundaries. The Internet uses a packet switched protocol referred to as the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Full Internet access usually includes five key features; electronic mail (e-mail), logging on to Internet-connected computers using Telnet, transferring files from Internet-connected computers using File Transfer Protocol (FTP), getting access to discussion groups, and using various information-research tools, especially the World Wide Web (WWW).
The Internet can be viewed as a Wide Area Network (WAN) capable of linking disparate computer terminals. In a dedicated WAN, connections are typically made by leased telephone lines or other dedicated communications links. Security and reliability are built in to such systems. However, the price paid for this infrastructure and its built in security and reliability is inflexibility and the expense of the infrastructure itself. This invention is directed to the use of the Internet as part of a dynamically configurable WAN providing reliable and secure communication among a plurality of disparate servers in a financial transaction processing system.